


Feverish

by zaithat



Series: Golden Frost Kingdom [2]
Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2013-09-09
Packaged: 2017-12-26 02:17:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/960397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zaithat/pseuds/zaithat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack gets caught in the rain and catches a cold. Kozmotis is there to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feverish

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alys_Brauer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alys_Brauer/gifts).



> I didn't really mean for this AU to have more stories in it, but I could not resist the temptation to write more Goldenfrost fluff. Now, I might be figuring out this world a great deal. You can expect some more stories to come out of this world.
> 
> So, Alys got sick, so I offered to write her some Goldenfrost fluff to make her feel better.

Age: Eighteen years old

Jack had fallen asleep in one of his trees, completely missing the dark clouds come rolling into the area. Soon, the rain came pouring down, slowly trickling through the dense foliage of his napping tree. While he slept, the prince was soaked through by the cold rain. He woke up when he started to shiver and nearly fell out of the tree from the action.

Blinking a few times, he shook his head to try and get the water out of his white hair, but only managed to send it down the back of his neck and shiver even harder. He looked up at the dark clouds, gauging how much longer the rain would take and if it would be worth the risk to run inside the palace. Where he was, he was only getting a slight trickle of rain, versus the complete downpour outside his little haven.

His decision was soon stopped when he saw a large, golden umbrella coming through the thicket of trees and heard his name called. Jack scowled and tried to stay still to keep from being seen by the only person who would risk coming out in the rain to fetch him.

“Jack,” came the unamused call from below the umbrella.

The prince looked down and scowled even more at the perfectly dry Kozmotis. “No one here but us trees.” He replied.

“I think there might be an imposter among these trees. I’m here to take care of him.”

“Nope, been adopted by the trees. Going to become one with them.”

Kozmotis sighed and pinched his nose a little bit. “You just might become one with them if you catch your death of cold.”

“Rain can’t kill anyone. Rain is good for everyone.”

“I thought you were the winter prince, not the spring prince.”

Jack echoed the sigh then. “That is not even relevant. If you are going to use ridiculous nicknames, you are not wanted at my tree.”

“I will leave this tree if you come with me. I will drag you out of there if I have to. You are completely soaked, aren’t you?”

“Well you aren’t going to find out.” Jack spat back.

“Jackson Overland, get down here right now.” Kozmotis barked. The sound was enough of a shock to Jack that he followed the command without fighting it.

He stood in front of the tall general, looking up at his beak like nose and shivered some more. He felt like a drowned rat and did not even know how to fix this situation to look better than it was. “We are never speaking of this again.” He hissed before sneezing.

And then he sneezed again.

Kozmotis grimaced then moved the umbrella to his left hand so he could shrug out of the cloak he was wearing to drape it around Jack’s shoulders. Jack dug his fingers into the still slightly warm fabric and pulled it closer. He could smell Kozmotis if he breathed deeply.

Which, made him sneeze again.

“Let’s get you inside now.” The general said; he wrapped his arm around Jack’s shoulders to pull him against his side. The position gave the prince warmth and let his stay firmly tucked under the umbrella. 

They easily made it through the grove of trees before getting to the palace. “The maids are going to have a fit at the puddles of water you’re leaving behind.” The general teased.

“Me? You’re leaving just as many behind as me. And look at those muddy footprints. All you.” Jack looked behind him to stare at the two tracks being left behind, one of large boots, and another with small, bare feet.

“Better get in a room before anyone can yell at me.”

“You always have the best ideas.” Jack replied before he sneezed and gave a little sniffle. He did not make a mention to how he was still firmly under Kozmotis’s arm, or how much he enjoyed the position. He just took the best deep breath he could to take in his scent. The smell was distorted through his rapidly clogging sinuses, but he was sure to make the most of the warm, comforting scent.

Fortunately, Kozmotis knew where his bedroom suite was, since Jack was too distracted to see where they were going. He blinked a few times when they made it inside the room.

“Take off your clothes.”

Jack whirled around to look at the general. “Excuse me?”

“Take off your clothes. You need to dry off.”

“I think you just want to see me strip. Want to see what’s under my clothing?” Jack teased.

“I think the whole palace has a good idea, considering how often you tear your clothing. Take them off.”

“What if I don’t want to give you a show right now? I’m a bit-” Jack sniffed a little bit, “distracted from giving you my best.”

“Jackson,” Kozmotis growled, sending a completely unrelated shiver down Jack’s spine, “take them off and get into something dry, or I will ensure that you do.”

“Geez, no need to get so angry. It’s just some wet clothing.” Jack replied, hoping to affect a carefree tone. He put the cloak he had been wearing carefully over the back of a chair before he started to shrug out of his sopping, wet outfit. The ruined outfit, he let fall to the floor in a dripping pile. He shivered at the cool air hitting his wet skin and wrapped his pale arms around his even paler torso.

“Now put on something. You look like an icicle right now, Mister Winter prince.”

“Pick, pick, pick. First you want me naked, and now you want me clothed. You need to make up your mind on what you want.” Jack grumbled while he went into his closet to pull on some loose, but warm clothing. He sniffed and rubbed his nose when he came out, and his arms were back to being wrapped around his torso.

“Bed. I’m going to call a healer to look over you. You’re beginning to sound bad.” Kozmotis said, putting a hand on Jack’s back to help guide him over toward the bed. He pulled the blankets back and helped the prince get into the bed. His expression softened for a moment while he looked over Jack, and his hand came up to nearly touch Jack’s cheek before he pulled it away and his expression went back to normal.

Jack brought his hand up, ready to pull Kozmotis’s hand down to his face. A sneeze stopped him from succeeding, and he laid his head heavily down on the pillow. He could feel his throat begin to itch as he sniffed again.

“I’m calling a healer for you. Remain here and rest.” Kozmotis said before he stood up to head to the door.

The prince didn’t even hear the door close before he was drifting off to sleep.

Jack was sure he dreamed then. He imagined people coming in and out of his room. He thought he saw his mother come sit with him, then Sandy looking over him with a furrow between his brows. But each time he saw someone in his room, Kozmotis was always somewhere in the room. Usually he stayed in the background, just a looming presence, content to sit in the background and watch. When he was alone, he was next to the bed, holding on to Jack’s hand. His hands seemed nearly scalding hot, but they brought comfort to him despite the sharp difference in temperature. Sometimes, dream Kozmotis would run his warm hands over his cheeks. He thought he heard humming, or perhaps singing, but his mind was too fevered to make sense of the sounds.

He woke up in the early light of dawn, his mouth dry and his body sore. He blinked a few times and looked around the room. He felt he should see Kozmotis’s ghost somewhere in the room, but he was alone. With a sigh he let his head fall back onto the pillow and closed his eyes again. He had no idea how much time had passed while he was asleep, and he currently was unable to care much about that.

The prince had nearly fallen asleep when the door to his room opened. His blue eyes opened quickly and he looked up to see who it might be.

Kozmotis had just walked in carrying a tea set. “You’re awake,” he said in a cautious tone. “Are you. . . with me this time?”

“With you?” Jack tried to say, but his voice was mostly a croak through his dry and sore throat. He coughed, at first lightly, then more racking coughs went through him.

The moment he started to cough, Kozmotis had the tray going to the desk and he was sitting next to the bed to help support Jack through the bone rattling coughs.

“Easy there,” he said, his voice deeper from the early morning and concern, “you still need to finish recovering.” He shifted so he wasn’t just leaning over the bed but sitting next to Jack. His arm was wrapped around Jack’s shoulders to help him sit straight. Warm hands helped tired and cold ones cradle the cup of tea. Carefully, Jack took a little sip of the honeyed tea, which helped soothe his throat.

“What are you doing?” Jack asked when he regained the ability to speak.

“What does it look like I’m doing? Making sure some rain didn’t kill you.” Kozmotis replied drily. “We can’t have you really becoming one with the trees.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Oh Jack, I never left. I’ve been here the whole time.”


End file.
